Vanek Update

It's time for Pominville and Hecht to wake the **** up; otherwise, this stretch could be a nightmare. Without Vanek, we're down to three competent offensive players - Roy, Connolly and Stafford. Pominville's gone 16 games without a goal, and Hecht's performance has been subpar. Step up.

I get this religious zealot vibe from you. Is there a cult that promotes the use of full face masks? You just wait until something like this happens and you pollute home team threads don't you. You are trying to play on our intense emotional attachment to an injured player in order to further your own agenda.

Yes, it's a cult. The people in it are called "intelligent". Come on, NHL hockey is more dangerous than it's ever been. With the sticks and the collapsing defensive systems, you constantly have players putting their bodies in the way of 100 mph slap shots. It's ludicrous that their union won't protect them by advocating for basic safety equipment. Maybe the Sabres' management should speak up. After all, this unnecessary, preventable injury could cost them a playoff spot and all of the revenue that goes with that.

If the players association wants face protection than they can have it as far as I'm concerned. I just hate it when rules, laws, and regulations are put into place against the will of the people they're supposedly protecting. The seat belt/cell phone/text messaging crap immediately comes to mind.

I do like to be able to see the players faces though; one of the many things I dislike about football is how disconnected the players are from the fans. The stadiums are huge, and the players look inhuman in their equipment.

The bolded is not to protect a participant. It's to protect innocent bystanders.

Yes, it's a cult. The people in it are called "intelligent". Come on, NHL hockey is more dangerous than it's ever been. With the sticks and the collapsing defensive systems, you constantly have players putting their bodies in the way of 100 mph slap shots. It's ludicrous that their union won't protect them by advocating for basic safety equipment. Maybe the Sabres' management should speak up. After all, this unnecessary, preventable injury could cost them a playoff spot and all of the revenue that goes with that.

You have nothing to substantiate that the NHL is "more dangerous than it's ever been." That is a ridiculous claim to further an agenda.

It's time for Pominville and Hecht to wake the **** up; otherwise, this stretch could be a nightmare. Without Vanek, we're down to three competent offensive players - Roy, Connolly and Stafford. Pominville's gone 16 games without a goal, and Hecht's performance has been subpar. Step up.

You hit it on the nail.

Besides Miller and the PK, our team has relied on hot streaks from forwards to lead the way. Vanek for a long part, then it was Roy if you remember for a while it seemed he was the best player in the league, then he cooled down and Connolly and Stafford have been outstanding as of late 10 or whatever games. Now, comes the time for Pominville, Hecht and Kotalik to step up. The other guys did it just by playing and it was a nice surprise, however, we must need these guys to step up.

But the show must go on... and we'll see what these guys are made out of.

Besides Miller and the PK, our team has relied on hot streaks from forwards to lead the way. Vanek for a long part, then it was Roy if you remember for a while it seemed he was the best player in the league, then he cooled down and Connolly and Stafford have been outstanding as of late 10 or whatever games. Now, comes the time for Pominville, Hecht and Kotalik to step up. The other guys did it just by playing and it was a nice surprise, however, we must need these guys to step up.

But the show must go on... and we'll see what these guys are made out of.

Exactly. There's absolutely no reason to throw in the towel because one player (yes, he's a very good player) is hurt. There are tons of other guys on this team. They play as a team and win as a team. Time for a few of these guys to step up.

I see absolutely no reason why this team can't continue to climb in the rankings. Saying they don't have Vanek is a cop out. There's millions of dollars worth of NHL caliber players on this hockey team.

I see absolutely no reason why this team can't continue to climb in the rankings. Saying they don't have Vanek is a cop out. There's millions of dollars worth of NHL caliber players on this hockey team.

I agree. I don't think Vanek's been a key player in the team's resurgence either. His hat trick against the Leafs came against a minor league goalie on team that was playing no defense when his own team was already up 2-0. His play has been Satanesque.

I agree. I don't think Vanek's been a key player in the team's resurgence either. His hat trick against the Leafs came against a minor league goalie on team that was playing no defense when his own team was already up 2-0. His play has been Satanesque.

That's being quite short-sighted. His goal scoring may not have been there, but he's still been a force offensively. Ask Tim Connolly what he thinks of not playing with his set-up guy.

Vanek does a whole lot of things that helps that line roll offensively. His mere presence creates space for Stafford/Connolly (and Roy before), because you know if there's one member of that line you cannot leave undefended, it's #26.

That's not to say they can't be successful without him, there's still enough talent offensively on this team. But to say that Vanek hasn't been a key contributor to the resurgence is absolutely false.

I agree. I don't think Vanek's been a key player in the team's resurgence either. His hat trick against the Leafs came against a minor league goalie on team that was playing no defense when his own team was already up 2-0. His play has been Satanesque.

Disagree. We've seen a more rounded offensive game from Vanek since united with Connolly. His absence will be felt.

This team will be FINE if Pominville contributes offensively. Forget about Hecht...Pominville needs to bring it.

I agree. I don't think Vanek's been a key player in the team's resurgence either. His hat trick against the Leafs came against a minor league goalie on team that was playing no defense when his own team was already up 2-0. His play has been Satanesque.

I agree. I don't think Vanek's been a key player in the team's resurgence either. His hat trick against the Leafs came against a minor league goalie on team that was playing no defense when his own team was already up 2-0. His play has been Satanesque.

I'm not sure I would go that far, but I think it's true that the guy who was the clear cut best player on the ice on many nights at the start of the season has not been very consistent with his dominance. What we are seeing is that he's got enough god given talent to continue to produce, even if he's not at the top of his game.

His play without the puck has gone downhill, and the percentage of mediocre games vs. good or great games isn't as positive as it was early in the year. I think you can see that when looking over the GBUs from the last 6-8 weeks.

I still have concerns that when the going gets tough in the midst of a playoff push or a playoff series we will be cursing our $7M franchise winger. I'm not sold on him in that regard as of yet. Time will tell.

Damn it. That puts him returning right around the deadline. I was hoping they could solidify playoff position pre-deadline and then go shopping for a bit of depth. It'll be interesting to see how guys like Roy and Stafford respond to even more pressure, as well as if they continue to dial down their defensive game overall.

With both Gaustad and Vanek out, I would expect Hecht to get the screening job he's had at various times since the lockout, at least in the short-term.

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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. - Aristotle

Damn it. That puts him returning right around the deadline. I was hoping they could solidify playoff position pre-deadline and then go shopping for a bit of depth. It'll be interesting to see how guys like Roy and Stafford respond to even more pressure, as well as if they continue to dial down their defensive game overall.

With both Gaustad and Vanek out, I would expect Hecht to get the screening job he's had at various times since the lockout, at least in the short-term.

Kaleta on the PP? Macarthhur wil probably see more "down in front time" too.